Category: Equipment

Welcome to String League, lacrosse’s biggest stringing competition. Week five is focused on traditional stringing, in particular the double knot or the “box” knot. This week’s judge is Conor Wilson at Lacrosse Allstars. This week each contestant was challenged to use Conor’s box knot to make the most functional and visual pleasing pocket possible in their STX Surgeon 10 500. This weeks winner is @mclaxstrings and the runner up is @lacrosseman. The prize for this week is of course a bunch of Swag with stickers & apparel. But the kicker for this week’s challenge is the winner (@mclaxstrings) gets to be a writer of great content on Lacrosse Allstars website! Thank you for watching and stay tuned for the last week of competition judged by Greg at East Coast Dyes.

Watch our weekly video installment on Stringleague.com and be sure to check out the leaderboard and root for your favorite stringer on Instagram @brostrings, @laxisbae, @lacrosseman, @oldratlax, @mclaxstrings. We want to thank all of our sponsors The Lacrosse Network, Stylin Strings, Throne of String, East Coast Dyes, Encore Lacrosse, LAX Allstars, STX, and JimAlax.

The Epoch C30 is hands down the best shorty that they make. This handle brings advanced tech to a classic shape in the best way possible. With all of the handles that Epoch offers up for testing this season, we have put in a lot of extensive work. Our guy James pushed it through a full season putting up 44 goals and just over 40 assists for his school this year. We put the C30 IQ5 and IQ9 to that absolute stress test and they handled without fail.

Shape: 10 out of 10
The traditional octagonal grip gives the C30 a very light and comfortable feel when carrying the ball. Long time players will find this handle extremely natural and easily transitioned into, simply put it brings the old school shaft back to lacrosse. 10 out of 10.

Weight: 10 out of 10
The C30 is a very light handle that doesn’t shake when taking a hard check. As someone who works the dangle heavily and works for smooth fast movement the weight or lack there of was a great advantage this season. 10 out of 10

Grip: 10 out of 10
The grip has a nice feel, but after a while begins to fade. Even after fading though, the handle still feels solid with gloves on or off with no need for extra tape. Swim dodges and toe drags will feel easy with the combined Slip/Grip and weight of the C30.

Durability: 10 out of 10
James played an entire high school season (including post season) without a scratch on it. As a heavy goal scorer and dodger these handles took some heavy slashes throughout the season with no show of damage at all.

Flex: 10 out of 10
This is where the different versions of the C30 show their strengths and Reload Tech. With a stiff IQ5 and a softer IQ9 model the C30 can fit any shortstick’s needs. The IQ9 with its easier flex is perfect for the inside shooter as the snap is felt more heavily and can aid in adding some speed to a quick snap of the wrists. The IQ5’s flex is felt more on an outside shot and when playing defense. Aggressive D-mids will love this shaft and so will that outside power shooter as the flex definitely adds speed to the shot. We tested this using the same Warrior Evo 4 HS with StringKing Type 2s on a Brine F55 clocking the shot speed at 85MPH from James’ 3 shots in a row. We then changed the head to the C30 IQ5 and he was shooting at 89MPH and a slightly lower 87MPH when using the IQ9 for three shots each. Every field short stick should pick up a C30 and let the Reload Technology add to their game. 10 out of 10.

Looks: 10 out of 10
Looks very clean; better looking than most shafts on the market. The C30’s we had for testing are the limited edition white series and boy did they come out nice. It’s a nice change up from the traditional black. Great handle with great looks. 10 out of 10.

Overall: 10 out of 10
The C30 is one of the best shafts on the market all around for any short stick position or mobile goalie. The C30 isn’t the reason for so many goals this season but it definitely helped. It provides the ability to change up the release when goalies are reading a shot. Epoch only makes quality equipment, and we are looking forward to what comes out in the future. 10 out of 10.

BOSTON (April 10, 2015) – Major League Lacrosse, the premier professional lacrosse league, announced today, multiple partnerships for the upcoming 2015 season, with lacrosse mesh and string providers; A&R, East Coast Dyes, Epoch Lacrosse, String Kings, Stylin Strings and Throne of Strings. MLL is welcoming, returning sponsors; East Coast Dyes, String Kings and Stylin Strings after a successful 2014 season. Newly added, A&R, Epoch Lacrosse and Throne of Strings will round out a group of official string and mesh providers to MLL.

“MLL is excited to have a number of mesh providers within the League,” said Kerry Pucillo, Special Events and Brand Management. “We’re continually pleased to be able to offer the best players in the world, several quality choices when it comes to their equipment.”

For over 20 years A&R has been the #1 brand in hockey accessories. A&R products can be found in nearly every hockey locker room, from professional levels to youth hockey leagues, around the world. With a wide variety of products for all situations, A&R has athletes covered with all the essential accessories, as well as many inventive products exclusive to A&R. With the release of their new Major League Lacrosse licensed Pro Mesh, Pro Strings and Pro Shooters, A&R is officially expanding its reach into the sport of lacrosse. “When we created the new Major League Lacrosse licensed Pro Mesh we worked very closely with lacrosse retailers, professional lacrosse players and Major League Lacrosse to make sure we had a perfect, versatile, durable mesh for today’s multi-dimensional lacrosse player. Everything, from the coating to the packaging, adds something new to the market. We are very proud of our new Major League Lacrosse licensed Pro Mesh and are excited to give players the confidence that they are using the best materials in the world, from a company with a 20 year history of exceling at developing innovative sporting goods accessories,” said Russ Grodin, VP of Marketing at A&R Sports.

East Coast Dyes is a lacrosse equipment manufacturer based in Baltimore, MD. Founded in 2011 by twin brothers, Mike and Greg Kenneally, East Coast Dyes strives to use innovation to push the boundaries of performance. “We are excited to partner with Major League Lacrosse as an official mesh sponsor for a second year. It gives us the opportunity to work with the best players in the world as we develop new products. The level of competition in the MLL demands high performance lacrosse mesh and we are happy to provide the players with our East Coast Mesh,’ said CEO and Founder, Greg Kenneally. “We know you’ll feel the difference.”

“Epoch Lacrosse delivers the finest manufactured lacrosse equipment designed to increase playability and maximize performance by utilizing world-class materials and manufacturing techniques. We test and retest, each of our designs to ensure optimal durability, playability and performance. Epoch’s goal is simple, to give players every opportunity to reach their true potential. Live. Play. Be,” said James Miceli, Principal at Epoch Lacrosse. “The MLL and its world class athletes are the ideal platform for us to generate a tremendous amount of awareness for our brand. We are looking forward to the start of the season and working with the MLL and its players to help us.”

Established in 1999, Stylin Strings Lacrosse has grown to service Major League Lacrosse, University of Virginia, Notre Dame, as well as youth players from around the world. “Stylin Strings values their partnership with the MLL and sees it as a way to test their product on the world’s largest stage,’ said Justin Skaggs, owner of Stylin Strings. “By carrying all of the supplies, and housing over 50 years of combines experience, SSLAX is able to string anything, for anyone, with unbelievable precision. Stylin Strings is the go to stringing shop for lacrosse pockets, dyes, heads, and supplies.”

Based in Brooklyn, New York, Throne of String leads the charge in the war against poorly strung lacrosse sticks. With innovation and creativity, they have forever changed the game. “Throne of String views a lacrosse stick not only as a piece of equipment, but also an extension of oneself. Their mission is to create seamless bonds between player and stick through the utilization of Throne premium stringing products! “Throne of String has been building up to this moment for a long time. The only better feeling would be suiting up and taking the field, myself,” said Joe Williams, Principal at Throne of Strings.

“String King’s overarching goal has been to engineer “”the best pockets in lacrosse’”. Along the way, we have had to develop a standard stringing language, manufacture our own mesh strings, and laces using patent-pending processes of the highest precision, and create an eight-step tutorial program from scratch,’ said Operations Manager, Trevor Wilkerson. “String King is proud to partner with the MLL for the 2015 season. We’ve always taken pride in supplying the best players with our products.”

The 2015 MLL season will kick-off on Sunday, April 12, with the 2014 Champions Denver Outlaws visiting the Boston Cannons, The Rochester Rattlers traveling to Charlotte and the Ohio Machine visiting New York. For more information on the upcoming 2015 MLL season, please click here.

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About A&R

Visit AR-Sports.com to learn more about the company and their products.

Call: 800-724-0347 or 201-941-8875
General Inquiries: info@ar-sports.com
Orders: orders@ar-sports.com

About East Coast Dyes

Visit EastCoastDyes.com to learn more about the company and their products.

Follow us on…
Facebook: Facebook.com/ECDLacrosse
Twitter: Twitter.com/EastCoastDyes
Instagram: Instagram.com/EastCoastDyes
Youtube: Youtube.com/ECD

About Epoch Lacrosse

Visit EpochLacrosse.com to learn more about the company and their products.

Follow us on…
Facebook: Facebook.com/EpochLax
Twitter: Twitter.com/EpochLax
Instagram: Instagram.com/epochlax/
Youtube: Youtube.com/user/epochlacrosse

About String King Lacrosse
Visit StringKingLacrosse.com to learn more about the company and their products.

Follow us on…
Facebook: Facebook.com/StringKingLacrosse
Twitter: Twitter.com/StringKingLax
Instagram: https://instagram.com/StringKingLacrosse/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/StringKingLacrosse

About Stylin Strings
Visit to StylinStrings.com learn more about the company and their products.

Follow us on…
Facebook: Facebook.com/StylinStringsLacrosse
Twitter: Twitter.com/Stylin_Strings
Instagram: Instagram.com/Stylin_Strings/
Youtube: Youtube.com/user/StylinStrings
SnapChat: stylinstrings

About Throne of Strings
Visit ThroneOfString.com to learn more about the company and their products.

Follow us on…
Facebook: Facebook.com/ThroneOfString
Twitter: Twitter.com/THRONEOFSTRING
Instagram: Instagram.com/ThroneofString/
Youtube: Youtube.com/user/ThroneLacrosse

About Major League Lacrosse

Major League Lacrosse (MLL), the premier professional outdoor lacrosse league, was founded by Jake Steinfeld and is headquartered in Boston. Major League Lacrosse commenced play in June 2001 and will embark on its fifteenth season. MLL has continued to lead the sport of lacrosse into the mainstream of competitive team sports. The league is made up of eight teams: The Boston Cannons, Charlotte Hounds, Chesapeake Bayhawks, Denver Outlaws, Florida Launch, New York Lizards, Ohio Machine and Rochester Rattlers.

Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/MajorLeagueLacrosse
Follow us on Twitter: Twitter.com/MLL_Lacrosse
Find us on Instagram: Instagram.com/majorleaguelax
Watch us on Youtube: Youtube.com/majorleaguelax

Click HERE for more information about Major League Lacrosse
Click HERE for tickets to the 2015 MLL All-Star Game at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston on June 13th.
Click HERE for tickets to the 2015 MLL Championship Game at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, GA on August 8th.

Big man pole looking to leave a mark? Look no further, as the C60xl is a variant of the perfection I reviewed in the regular Epoch Gen 5 C60 but with 14% more mass and a stiffer flex rating at an IQ5. The C60xl does have the Reload Tech and extra crossweave as well giving it a sick feel for those looking to lay the lumber.

SHAPE 10 out of 10

The C60xl as the name implies involves that Relaxed Concave shape that is what personifies a C series handle. Because this is the shape most of us grew up with it really just feels right when you pick it up and hit the field. The C series shaping isn’t flashy but it is perfection. 10 out of 10.

WEIGHT 8 out of 10

The C60xl is the beefier brother to the C60 and as such has 14% more mass. It doesn’t sound like much but at 6 foot long 14% is noticeable. While a really strong dpole won’t notice a huge weight difference your guys looking for agile quick movements clearing the ball will probably notice a little slow down here. This isn’t the multi-check pole, as much as it is the handle you use when you want that one punch power in your check leaving a mark and driving hard into your attackman. If you want that impact of the game then this is your handle. Transition is sometimes not the ultimate goal when locking things down on the defensive end. 8 out of 10.

GRIP 10 out of 10

Just like its brothers the C60 and R60 the C60xl has that perfect Slip/Grip and an added crossweave layer giving you the super solid grip in a check. The traditional C shape has led to minimal wear down on the Slip/Grip after tons of play. Guys, Epoch really has something special in this coating. 10 out of 10.

DURABILITY 10 out of 10

When you’re the muscle for the team your pole has to be able to handle the impact and the C60xl does so with ease. Pokes, holds and hard slashes no worries here you will destroy metal handles without any problems. Go for the groundball and take/give a hack without any fear that you will snap a C60xl. Honestly after seeing the work this handle does with the extra weight I wouldn’t be surprised to laugh off a handle of a hard riding attackman as it gives in to the strength of the C60xl. 10 out of 10.

FLEX 9 out of 10

The C60xl is a IQ5 making it a stiffer pole while still having the advantage on a shot or a long pass. The C60xl won’t push through the pass with its Reload Tech as much as a standard C60 will but it still is there. The flex is less noticeable other than when shooting. It definitely doesn’t wrap around on a check quite as much as the standard shaft, however it holds different strengths. The stiffer IQ5 lets you really dig in on a hold and lift situation or when you want to drive into a check without any give. The bigger guys looking to throw hammers that don’t go away will love the IQ5 here. When shooting the flex still will play with the goalie but won’t hide the ball quite as far back. 9 out of 10.

LOOKS 10 out of 10

For the minimalists out there less concerned with flash and more concerned with performance Epoch has a nice look. For the guy who wants that flash the 382c logo still pops and when you’re scoring goals you will think this is the best looking handle you’ve ever had. The Epoch Line is simple when it comes to colors almost always black with some limited edition colors and the 382c logo which for everyone we show it to looks just absolutely perfect. 10 out of 10

OVERALL 9.4 out of 10

The C60xl is another style of animal when it comes to poles and lives up to being the heavier weight power handle for that close D guy looking to be feared. The C60xl is for someone who loves a single hard power check or just likes to feel that extra weight on impact. They will love this handle and should definitely give it a look over just about anything out of there on the market. 9.4 out of 10.

Welcome to String League, lacrosse’s biggest stringing competition. Week four is focused on challenging the stringers to use non traditional materials to make the most functional pocket possible. Our fourth week of the finals belongs to Stylin Strings. Justin challenged the contestants to string an accurate functional pocket into a STX Surgeon 10 with any non-conventional materials. Justin chose the winner for this week’s competition @Lacrosseman who won $200 worth of stringing supplies from Stylin Strings and and coming in second place is @Laxisbae.

Watch our weekly video installment on Stringleague.com and be sure to check out the leaderboard and root for your favorite stringer on Instagram @brostrings, @laxisbae, @lacrosseman, @oldratlax, @mclaxstrings. We want to thank all of our sponsors The Lacrosse Network, Stylin Strings, Throne of String, East Coast Dyes, Encore Lacrosse, LAX Allstars, STX, and JimAlax.

Probably my favorite shaft in the entire Gen5 line is the C60 IQ8 dpole. This Dragonfly shows off the “Reload Technology” more than any handle in the lineup and really performs perfectly as a dpole. Up till this point the STX Hammer really stood out as the best pole on the market but the C60 in different ways ties up that spot for best handle you could use. Epoch really perfected this handle for the quick athletic close D guy or the LSM looking to make an impact.

SHAPE 10 out of 10

The C Series handles use the most common shaft shape in the octagonal grip making it probably the easiest handle to just pick up and feel super comfortable with for just about any player. The slight concave of the handle lets your fingers really get a perfect feel on the handle and just hold hard during a good check or walkin the dog on a clear. There just is no better feel when it comes to dominating an offense as poles go. 10 out of 10.

WEIGHT 10 out of 10

The C60 is an incredibly light handle making it the perfect handle through a clear. You can throw rapid hard checks without feeling any slow down from the stick no matter how far out you are reaching. I love the opening poke check when I play D which opens you up if you can’t get the stick back in time and that’s just not an issue with the C60. When clearing the ball, walking the dog feels like carrying a shorty Miles Thompson style it is so light. The C60 definitely won’t weigh you down in the transition or when imposing your will. 10 out of 10.

GRIP 10 out of 10

Epoch does some special work when it comes to making their handles perfect and with poles it is no different. All throughout the Gen 5 Line being the C60, C60xl and the R60 Epoch added an extra Crossweave layer on the top of the poles. This adds some grip but also some durability so it really is a multilevel advantage. The Slip/Grip does work as always and even with heavy usage with the C60’s shape we haven’t seen any degradation in the level of grip on the handle. Throw big face dodges without fear of losing the stick here. 10 out of 10.

DURABILITY 10 out of 10

Throw hammers, pokes, dodges and shots at, the C60 it isn’t going to flinch. This handle takes a crazy beating without any markings other than what it takes away from other sticks. The extra crossweave carbon fiber layered on the C60 gives it added impact resistance and makes you feel good as a pole when you see the damage done to other handles coming away with the pole. Ours has some green smears, some red, some blue and even a couple white from checks laid hard on the handles of the opposition, but no dents in the material or even minor fractures. Thanks to some tough attackmen we were able to really pressure the C60 to see how far it could go and so far we haven’t been able to find that limit even when it was fallen on top of during a faceoff. 10 out of 10.

FLEX 9 out of 10

As an IQ8, the C60 is a more flexible handle which for me is perfection. I can throw insane wrap checks that with a metal handle would never catch stick but now are yard sales. When shooting there just is no way for a goalie to read the shot but for some it is a bit much on the flex level. The Reload Technology is perfection on this handle when clearing long passes or cranking hard shots, you will feel the handle bend and then force its way forward so with less muscle you get perfect on a line passes and faster more consistent and accurate shots. The C60 does let you really feel the bend and for that take away mobile style defenseman the flex is perfect. If you’re the body up and hold style defenseman this handle may just have a little too much flex for you. 9 out of 10.

LOOKS 10 out of 10

For the minimalists out there less concerned with flash and more concerned with performance Epoch has a nice look. For the guy who wants that flash the 382c logo still pops and when you’re scoring goals you will think this is the best looking handle you’ve ever had. The Epoch Line is simple when it comes to colors almost always black with some limited edition colors and the 382c logo which for everyone we show it to looks just absolutely perfect. 10 out of 10

OVERALL 9.8 out of 10

With so many handles tested this year and so much specialization in the design we have gotten stiffer in our reviews but honestly if you’re an LSM or a clearing D guy who wants to make the biggest impact on both sides of the field BUY THIS HANDLE! You will love it as there really isn’t anything really bad to say here. I have to say it’s now my number one stick for field lax and is being used by a few of my poles I coach. 9.8 out of 10.

Epoch DragonFly E30 IQ5 –

Another entry in the Epoch DragonFly Gen5 lineup has met yet another need for another group of specific players. The E30 is for those guys who are just all palms. Got short fingers? This is the shaft for you. The DragonFly E shaft is definitely a different feel and has a shape to meet that niche of player who needs a smaller backed handle. In this case, our review team’s Andrew “Buffalo” McIntyre filled that role and quickly got to work testing every element of this handle that he could.

SHAPE 10 out of 10

The ergonomic shape of this handle definitely makes it not for everyone, but Epoch has never shot to have each of their handles meet everyone’s needs as opposed to making handles to meet specific groups of players’ needs. The guys over at Epoch really look for individual perfected solutions and the feel of the E30 is a great example. For Andrew, the E30 fits perfectly into his hands with the offset shaping and reduced size along the back of the handle, giving him an increased feeling of control and comfort over the ball, 9 out of 10.

WEIGHT 9 out of 10

The Epoch E30 is an incredibly light handle. Andrew and I saw this as a 9 out of 10 with the weight moving up the comfort level when throwing dodges on defenders with fast hands.

GRIP 7 out of 10

The SlipGrip on the E30 is pretty unique to Epoch, giving an unprecedented level of feel. The grip did wear off throughout season though, more so than the other Gen 5 handles, docking it some ranking for grip, 7 out of 10.

DURABILITY 8 out of 10

The E30 is a solid handle and can take a ton of checks. Andrew, being a field attackman and a box player who knows how to get scrappy during a game, has really shot to test the durability of this handle. We noticed some bangs in the handle, but nothing too major. The reduced sizing on the back of the handle does give it a little less comfort on the durability side of things, 8 out of 10.

FLEX 10 out of 10

Epoch really shoots to dial in to the customer’s needs when it comes to the flex of their handles. A lot of time and money is spent here on this single factor and they really do get it right. “Palmy” guys tend to be your hard shooters from outside cranking corners and ripping nets. For this reason the E30 is a IQ5, giving it more stability on those harder shots and a consistent flex along the handle so you can dial in on any goalie while hiding the release point of the ball. All DragonFly Gen 5 handles have Epoch’s “Reload Technology” and man does it make a difference. When shooting, the shaft flexes as you power into the shot and then forces itself back to a straight shot as you snap your wrists, creating a faster, harder shot. This reload tech shows a different snap point per style but consistent snap across the same line of handles C, E, X etc. I don’t normally say a handle adds speed but in the case of Andrew with the E30 and James with the C30 (review to come), both experienced a couple mph raise in their shots. Andrew shoots in the mid to low 80’s and took just an hour or so to really dial his stick in once switching to the E30 for absolute value. 10 out of 10.

LOOKS 10 out of 10

For the minimalists out there less concerned with flash and more concerned with performance, Epoch has a nice look. For the guy who wants that flash, the 382c logo still pops, and when you’re scoring goals you will think this is the best looking handle you’ve ever had. The Epoch Line is simple when it comes to colors, almost always black with some limited edition colors and the 382c logo, which for everyone we show it to looks just absolutely perfect. 10 out of 10

OVERALL 8.8 out of 10

The E30 is definitely a niche market handle looking for guys with big palms and short fingers. Fortunately with our varied testing group, we had the opportunity to have Andrew test the E30, as this matches his description and made him the most comfortable with the stick. Epoch doesn’t hide the fact that their handles are really for the guys looking to be the best, work the hardest, and that each of their handles is designed to meet specific needs. The E30 also comes in an IQ9 format for that inside shooter looking to outmuscle the crease D. The E30 does this well and earns a very strong 8.8 out of 10.